


Marked

by bloodyfandom



Category: NCIS
Genre: M/M, Tattoos
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-07-24
Updated: 2013-07-24
Packaged: 2017-12-21 06:03:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 757
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/896693
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bloodyfandom/pseuds/bloodyfandom
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It’s good to finally belong somewhere.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Marked

The first time Tony had seen the tattoo he’d been ten seconds away from going down on Gibbs for the first time.  
  
There had been a lot of firsts for Tony that night.  
  
He had decided to ignore it, was always careful not to touch it. Never asks about it.  
  
It’s just a small ‘S’ on the inside of Gibbs’ thigh, close to his groin.  
  
A year later he knows what the ‘S’ stands for and he wishes he didn’t.  
  
It’s nearly four years after that when Tony comes home to a strangely empty house. Gibbs’ cell is on the side table but Gibbs’ car isn’t out front and his keys aren’t hanging from the hook by the hall closet. Tony starts dinner and wonders where the hell the man’s got off to.  
  
Part of him wants to start making phone calls but sometimes Gibbs needs his space and Tony understands that. He understands how sometimes shit gets overwhelming and you just need to get away from it. He left three jobs and three cities. He left more girlfriends and boyfriends than he could even start to count.  
  
But Tony’s gotten tired of leaving and running. He started settling in years ago, slowly insinuated himself into Gibbs’ life and found a home here with him.  
  
It’s good to finally belong somewhere.  
  
When Gibbs comes home – close to midnight – he goes into the living room and sits down on the couch heavily without saying hello. Tony doesn’t ask him where he’s been. He asks him if he wants his dinner and Gibbs shakes his head, nodding towards the door.  
  
“Lock it?”  
  
Tony nods and flips the deadbolt, coming in to sit in the chair opposite the couch and wait. Finally Gibbs begins to strip, leaving his clothes in a heap on the floor – uncharacteristic, he usually folds them or puts them in the hamper because everything has its place. Then Tony notices the bandages and straightens, eyes worried until Gibbs peels back the one directly over his heart.  
  
There’s the name ‘Kelly’ in perfect, looping scrawl. Tony sits back, feeling dazed, mouth slack with surprise. Next comes the bandage on Gibbs’ right arm, revealing ‘Abby’ in blocky, gothic lettering.  
  
“She’d never forgive me if I didn’t,” he chuckles hoarsely.  
  
Then comes the bandage on his inner left thigh, the one Tony knows. ‘Shannon’. No longer just a simple ‘S’.  
  
‘Shannon’, in the same perfect, looping scrawl as ‘Kelly’.  
  
There’s one bandage left on the other thigh, directly opposite from 'Shannon' and Tony’s eyes lock on it as Gibbs peels it back slowly.  
  
It’s his name. ‘Tony’ in neat, solid lettering that Tony recognizes as his own handwriting. Gibbs must have stolen some scrap of paper off of Tony’s desk as a sample for the tattoo artist.  
  
“Always wanted tattoos. Saw a lot of my buddies in the Corps get ‘em. Damn ‘S’ hurt so bad I had to stop. It’s a bad place for your first tattoo, guy told me it was but I was too damn stubborn to listen. Then…just didn’t have a reason to finish.”  
  
Tony nods quietly, standing up just to sit next to Gibbs. He stares at the tattoos, tracing the red, irritated skin with gentle fingers.  
  
He pulls Gibbs close, letting the other man’s head fall to his shoulder. Gibbs is exhausted but it’s more than that. He seems lighter too - less burdened. Tony wonders if this was cathartic, if it was a release. Gibbs presses his face into Tony’s neck and breathes him in.  
  
“I love you.”  
  
Tony blinks at the wall, bringing his hand up to stroke Gibbs’ hair.  
  
“Yeah…yeah, I love you too,” he says softly.  
  
The tattoo had said it all. Gibbs had never spoken the words before, had never had to because everything he needed to say he said with action. He moved Tony into his house, into his bed. He kissed Tony, held him. He made sure Tony was happy. All that meant more to Tony than a thousand “I love you”s. People had been saying that to him his whole life but none of them had ever really meant it. All of them had left.  
  
Tony had learned young that the people who love you always leave and he’d spent years running from the fear of loss.  
  
But he’s not afraid now. Gibbs saying it doesn’t change anything. It doesn’t make anything better or worse – it’s just verbal confirmation of what Tony’s known for years now.  
  
Gibbs is his – marked, body and soul.


End file.
